'Alternative to sanctions against Russia would be Third World War': US President Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden has said that any alternative to sanctions against Russia over Ukraine invasion would be the Third World War. In an interview with blogger Brian Tyler Cohen, Biden said, "You have two options. Start a Third World War, go to war with Russia, physically. Or two, make sure that the country that acts so contrary to international law ends up paying a price for having done it". The video of posted on Cohen's YouTube page on Saturday. 

Biden has also noted that none of the sanctions are immediate but added, "I think these sanctions, I know these sanctions are the broadest sanctions in history, and economic sanctions and political sanctions".

"Russia will pay a serious price for this short term and long term, particularly long term," Biden also said.

US President’s remarks came in the backdrop of Russia unleashing a lethal ‘special’ military operation in Ukraine claiming several lives. The Ukrainian army has now resisted the ‘enemy’ forces for the fourth day in a row and has appeared to not back down. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky even rejected the US offer to flee Kyiv, the capital which is being rounded up by Russian forces from all sides. 

Biden Approves $350 Million In 'immediate Military Assistance' To Kyiv

Earlier, Biden reportedly instructed Secretary of State Antony Blinken to release around the $350 million in immediate support to Ukraine's security and defence, said White House reportedly in a new memo on Friday (local time). It is to mention that Biden signed a memorandum to release up to $600 million in assistance for Ukraine. Out of the total amount, at least $250 million is in overall assistance and the remaining $350 "in defence articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, and to make the determinations required under such section to direct such a drawdown."

The memorandum for the secretary of the state read: "The authority under section 614(a)(1) of the FAA to determine whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $250 million in assistance without regard to any provision of law within the purview of section 614(a)(1) of the FAA."

"The authority under section 506(a)(1) of the FAA to direct the drawdown of up to an aggregate value of $350 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, and to make the determinations required under such section to direct such a drawdown," it added.

Image: AP